Artificial tooth and method of making the same.



H. P. OSBORN.

ARTIFICIAL TOOTH AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

APPLICATION rum) MAY 10.1910.

1,940,571. Patented 0m. 8, 191.2

3 SHEE'IS-"SIILET 1.

F114, fig, 5:

WITNESSES Wk. 3) M699 H. P. OSBORN. ARTIFICIAL TOOTH AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1910.

Patented Oct. 8, 1912.

3 SHEF'IS SET? ['3 1%. WI. M1111 ZZZ H. P. OSBORN.

ARTIFICIAL TOOTH AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

APILIGATION FILED MAY10,1910.

1,040,571.. Patented Oct.8,1912.

3 SHEBTS SHEET 3.

WITNFSSES; V INVENTOA 81 6M. am. 71. I 7. "Mn/4 1 ei en.

UNITED STATES'PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY is OSBORN, or BAYoim'E, NEW oEnsEY.

An'rIr'Io'IAL 'roo'r'n AND mnrrnon or MAKING THE same.

' My invention relates to artificial teeth and methodsof making the same, and comprises an improved method of makin artificial alent; whereby true surfaces are prove anchors, and other features, as hereinafter ,strong as "necessary their equivrovided jor engagement with the tooth bac ing'; an improved manner, of insertin the pins or other anchors inthe teeth, whereby a very deed: penetration of the substance of the tooth by the pins or other anchors is obtained, and liability ofthe teeth to crack is ver; greatly reduced; also various imartificial tooth structures, improved teeth; having pin-like anchors or described and articularly' pointed out in the appended c aims. v p

According to former'methods of making artificial teeth provided with anchors, it has been the usual practice to insert these anchors into the teeth during molding, or before baking or firing which are, that the tooth is exceedingly apt to crack or cleave during baking or thereafter, owing to expansion of the anchors"; that these anchors, unless made of platinum or platinuinalloy or like noble metal, are apt to be greatly injured by the baking, and furthermore turn black, even within the tooth, their black color showing through the tooth; and that the tooth usually warps during ,the baking, leaving an uneven surface on the face from which the anchors project, which surface cannot be trued up properly thereafter, owingto the presence 0 the anchors, so that such teeth do not set closeup against the backings to whichthey are subsequently fitted. Owing to the extreme probability'that the tooth will crack during or after baking, it the -anchors penetrate deep] y into the tooth, and have embedded in the toothheads of desirable breadth, it IS the present practice to insert the anchor pins only a very small distance into the teeth and to provide them with very small .heads, it any, with the result thatthe tooth is not as it should be. -'-It is also considered to use platinum anchors, for all Specification ot letterslatent. Application filed ma 10,

a method to which there are several serious ob ect1ons, among PatentedOct. 8, 1912.

1910. Serial No. 560,535.

but the chea Jest grades 'of teeth, notwithstanding the igh cost of platinum, because nickel, the other most suitable metal, under oes a peculiar change when heated in the turnace durin 'the baking of the porcelain, becomm' wen i and friable, and likewise turnlng lack.

According to my invention, the tooth com- .prlses a body portion, usually formed of porcelain, and usually constituting the major fraction of the tooth, and in which are apertures for the reception of the anchor or anchors, and 21 facing; the heads of the anchors being sealed into the tooth by this facmg. Informing such teeth, the tooth body is first molded and baked, before the facing is applied and before the anchors are applied. After baking, it is trued up, to gage, the surface orsurfaces which are to engage or fit against a backing being ground, if nec essa-ry, until perfectly smooth and of the contour desired, whether that be flat, con- .cave or,,conve;; an operation which is very pins or the like in the way. The anchor pins or the'like are then inserted, usually from the front of the tooth body, and are seated in suitable recessesprovided to receive them, after which a facing,usually of enamel which melts at a relatively low temperature as compared with the body, is applied and baked on. Owing to the lower temperature required to bake the enamel, there ispractically no liability to cracking of the tooth, nor is there the same risk oil? injuring the material of the anchors, when the lat-tor are formed of nickel or like metal. 'It thus becomes practical to have the anchors penetrate the tooth very deeply, and to provide such anchors with very large heads, so that pressure between the anchors and the porcelain of the tooth is distributed over a large area, thereby minimizing chances of the tooth breaking subsequently or scaling from the backing To prevent the anchors 'Erom showing black from the front or edges of the tooth, I cover them with a thin coat-t ing of platinum or other metal which does not turn-black when heated, or at least cover the front portions of the anchors with such metal, or employ anchors, the inner or front ortions of which are of metal which does not tui'n'black. And sometimes I form the entire anchor of platinum or like metal.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the acconipanying drawings, which illustrate the method of In said drawings :-Figure 1 shows a ton gitudinal section of one form of tooth b()( y,

prepared for the reception of anchor pins;

Cir

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the pins partly inserted, and Fig. 3 is a further similar view showing the pins fully in place; Fig 4 is a further similar view except that the tooth body there shown is not provided with recesses for the heads of the pins; and Fig. 5 shows a longitudinal section of the completed tooth; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1, except that the toothbody there shown is recessed to receive an anchor of loop or staple form; Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the staple partly in place; andFig. S is another similar view showing the completed tooth; Fig. 9 shows a longitudinal section of a tooth body similar to that'shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, except that the staple is shown more near the base of the tooth, and a pin anchor is shown near the edge of the moth; Fig. 10 shows a rear view of a tooth similar to that shown in Fig. 9, except that in this case the staple fastening is shown arranged transversely instead of longitudinally; Fig. 11 shows a longitudinal section of another slightly different form of tooth A body, and illustrates the use of split anchor pins; and Figs. 12, 13, 14 and 15 are similar sections of completed teeth of various forms illustrating various manners of using split anchor pins; Fig. 16 is a longitudinal section of a tooth provided with'anchor pins of compound construction comprising a front portion of noble metal and a main portion of base metal; Fig. 17 is a simi ar view of another form of tooth provided vith a. loop-form anchor of compound construe tion; Fig. 18 shows a longitudinal section of still another form of tooth provided with split pin anchors, a portion of one of the anchors extending well into the enamel; F lg. 19 shows a longitudinal section of another form of tooth provided with anchor pins of compound construction but of the pin construction illustrated in Fig. 16; Figs.

20, 21 and 22 Show. longitudinal sections of still other forms of teeth embodying further forms of anchor pins; Fig. 23 is. a detail section of a further form of compound pin; Fig. 24 is a longitudinal section of an artificial tooth and backing, the tooth held to the backing by screws, the screw holes being closed at the front end, and the ends of the screws concealed, by the enamel facing; Figs. 25 and 26 are longitudinal sections of other forms of teeth and tooth-backings, illustrating the use in combination of screws and anchor pins for holding teeth to their backings; Figs. 27 and 28 show longitudinal sections of further forms of teeth and back ings,the teeth being held to-the backings by completed tooth having the anchor-arrange ment shown in Fig. 34; Figs. 36, 37 and 38 are views similar to Figs. 32, and 34, but illustrate still further arrangements of loop form anchors, designed particularly to reinforce and strengthen thin and weak teeth; Fig. 39 shows a face view of a tooth body provided with a large number of anchor holes into any of which the dentist may place anchor pins, according to the exigencies of the particular situation; and Figs. 40 and 41 are face views showing teeth bodies, illustrating still further permissible arrangements of anchors.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, A designates the main body, of a tooth, provided with holes B for the reception of anchor pins C, and D designates a facing, of

a relatively low-fusing enamel or like material, covering the front of the tooth body A and sealing in the pins C and completely covering their heads. In some cases, as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the front sides of the tooth bodies A are deeply recessed,

so as to receive completely the heads of pins C; but this is hardly necessary, as the enamel D completely covers said heads, very slightrecessing, if any, as illustrated'in Figs. 4 and 5, being sufficient. In forming such teeth, the bodies A are first molded,

baked or fired, and then trucd accurately to gage, particularly on the back, so that such back surface shall have precisely the contour desired, whether that be flat, as indicated in Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive, or of other contours, as illustrated, for example, in Figs. 11-19 inclusive. No matter how-accurately teeth are molded, they undergo a great deal of shrinking, warping and twist-- ing in firing, so that their backs must be )ut back to true, form b rindin or like operation, after the firing, if they are to fittightly to the tooth backing, as they should. Such truing of the bodies A is easy before the insertion of the anchor pins, whereas it is practically impossible after such pins have been inserted and baked in.

The tooth body having been molded, baked and trued, as above described, the anchor pins C are inserted in the holes B, formed during the molding of the body A, and an enamel facing Dis molded over the face of the body A, covering the heads of the pins, after which the tooth is baked but only at the much lower temperature required to fuse the said enamel. OW- ing to the lower temperature at which the enamel is baked on, the tooth bodydoes not warp or change form during the baking on of the enamel, and retains a true back surface. The tooth is then finished and ready to be applied to a backing. The construction described not 'only permits a very deep penetration-by the anchor '8 and 9, and

pins of the tooth body, and permits the' use of pins having very large heads, so as to distribute pressure over a relatively large area of the tooth body, but it also permits the toot-h itself to be made quite thin, so permitting the backing to be made thick, stifi, and strong, so that it may lie closely to the tooth itself and support the same adequately. The strength of a tooth depends in a large degree upon the depth of penetration of the anchor pins. Hence by preference the anchor pins extend back clear to the facing, as shownin Fig. 5, or into the facing, as shown in Figs. 16, 17,18, 19, 20,

forming in effect a very broad head for both the staple. Such a loop or ated by letter G in Figs. 7, is also shown in various other views. Such construction has the very great advantage, that the anchor extends through the tooth longitudinally, for a great portion of its length, insuring against dropping ofi of fragments of porcelain in case cracks legs or pins of staple is des1 should develop in soldering, and holding the tooth to the back sofirmly, and also so reinforcing the tooth, that small cracks, if they start, are not apt to spread.

Sometimes I employ for an anchor pin a split pin such as H, Fig. 11, usually consisting of two half-round wires the flat sides of which face each other so that the pin will fit within a round hole. In the use. of a toot having such a pin, the free ends of the half pins may be opened after being passed through a hole in the backing and then bent back a ainst the back surface of the backing, as i lustrated in Fig. 525, so holding the tooth firmly against the backing for soldering, by the mere opening of the ends of the anchor pins. Figs. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18 and 19 illustrate various ways of using split anchors in teeth.

There is not the same occasion for using platinum pins in teeth constructed as herein described, as has existed in the prior art, because the pin is not exposed to the high temperature employed in firing the porcelain tooth body, and is little likely to be injured, if of. nickel or like metal, by the lower temperature employed for fusing the enamel facing. But when, for any reason, it is not deslred to rely solely on nickel, I frequently use a compound in, such as E, Fig. 16, and'F, Fig. 17, the inner or front portion of which is formed of platin inor platinum alloy, the outer or rear part eing tubular, the front part fitting into the tube and being secured therein; this tubular part being of a cheaper metal, such for example as nickel. In the construction shown in Fig. 16, this outer hollow portionis headed at its inner end, while at the other end that portion of it which is to go through the 1 "8'0:

backing is split so that it may be opened back of the backing and the two sides bent back against the rear side of the backing before soldering, as previously explained in connection with the split pin H of Fig. 11. The small inner headed pin, of platinum, extends into the facing D. in this construction, thus serving as additional means for holding the facing to the body of the tooth. A convenient form of combination pin of this nature is shown in Fig. 29, the said pin consisting of a split tube, 0, of a relatively cheap metal, such as nickel, said tube having an open seam throughout its length and having at one end a' head; and a small headed pin P, of latinum or like metal, set into tube 0 at ltsheaded end. It will be noted that in these various forms of .combination pin, the front portion is of platinum, and so will not show from the front of the tooth. Fig. 17 shows a staple anchor F of the combination COIlStlllCtlOIl described.

The loop anchor, if used, extend longitudinally of the tooth. Fig. 10 shows a construction in which the loop anchor is arranged transversely.

Deep recessin does not always of the heads of the ins I into the body 0 the tooth, as indicate in V Fig. 3, is sometimes desirable, when the pins consist entirely of some metal, such as nickel,

which may turn black during the baking ,on

of the enameb In such case, after the inh sertion of the pins into the tooth body, and

before the enamel facing is ap lied, the recesses in which the heads of t e pins have been sunk are filled with a somewhat opaque porcelain before the application of the enamel facing, the covering of, the heads in this manner preventing any dark color due to said heads showing through to the front of'the tooth. But there is practically no occasion for using anchor pins which are not covered, on th 1r front ends, at least, with a metal whic will not turn black. The very front of the pin, at 'least, may usually have a thin covering of platinum or like metaL, which shows a pin, the front of the head of which has soldered or otherwise secured to This is illustrated in Fig. 31,

its

material. The cost of such a pin is so-Qvery slightly greater than that of an all-nickel )i1 r,i;that there is very little occasion for using an all-nickelpin. In Fig. -I show a pin of slightly different form,---the front of which is provided with a similar platinum covering Q, for the same purpose.

In some cases I employ bothan inserted pin anchor and a screw, for holding a tooth to the backing. This is illustrated in Figs. 25and 26. In Fig. 25 A designates the tooth body, D the facing, J the backing, H a split pin anchor, and K a screw passing through the backingand threaded into the body of the tooth. The extreme ends of the split pin H have been bent back, as previously described, to cause said pin to help hold the tooth to the backing. In such teeth, threaded screw-holes for the reception of the screw, may be formed successfully by the method set forth in my Patent No. 8.65,314, dated September 3, 1907. In Fig. 26, a similar construction involving the use of two pins C is shown. It will be obvious that in case such atooth as shown in either of these two figures is broken, in use, it may be removed ,readily, whether it be in place on a bridge or on a plate, and a new tooth of similar form substituted for it....Suchsubstitution will be the more :easy, in 'the case of teeth constructed as here- 2: 1n described, since the final grlnding of the teeth, before the application of the enamel facing, will be with reference to standard gages, so that a broken tooth of one gage can always be duplicated exactly.-

In the constructions shown in Figs. 24 and 25, the enamel facing D is applied after the baking of the tooth body and after the formation of the screw-tln'eaded holes in the manner described in my prior patent above mentioned, and therefore hides completely the ends of the screws, preventing them from showing as dark spots from the front of the tooth.

Figs. 3238 inclusive, 40 and 41, show various arrangements of staples and like anchors for reinforcing teeth-particularly thin broad teeth, and for securing the same to backings at so many and so widely dis tributed points that breakage is rendered very unlikely.

' One advantage of the method of forming teeth herein" described is, that he tooth 'bodies,'without facings, and, if desired,

without anchors, may be furnished to the dentist, who may himself apply the anchors according to the demand of the particular situation in which the tooth is to he used, and then himself apply the facing, coloring it as occasion may require. In Fig. 39 I show a form of tooth body which is particularly adapted for use in this manner, as it is provided with a large number of anchor holes into some or all of which the dentist may insert anchors of various constructions, the type of anchors employed and their lo cation in the. tooth depending upon circumstances, and may then apply the enamel facing to cover the backs of such pins and may himself bake the enamel on. In such case, the enamel will fill those holes in the tooth body which are not occupied by anchor pins In the drawings I have shown many different forms of teeth and different constructions of anchors, for the reason that the requirements of plate and bridge work call for a large number of different forms of teeth and different methods of anchoring them to their backings. Owing to the grinding of the teeth after baking and before the application of the anchors, teeth of no matter what form may be ground true to gage during manufacture and will be of the same form when used, and require no further dressing at the back to fit them to backings themselves formed to similar gages. This method of constructing and applying teeth therefore avoids bad joints between teeth and backings, such as are frequently en countered when using teeth formed in other ways.

WVhat I claim is 1. The hereindescribed method of making artificial teeth, which comprises applying to the front surface of a previously baked tooth body, provided with one or more an chor holes extending from the front surface of such tooth backward, a coating of enamel of a materially lower melting temperature than the melting temperature of the mate rial of said tooth body, and fusing the said enamel on said tooth body, thereby closing, on the front side of the tooth, the said anchor hole or holes.

2. The herein described method of making artificial teeth, which consists in forming a baked tooth body provided with one or more anchor holes extending from the front of the tooth body backward, truing that surface of such tooth body which is to fit against a backing, inserting an anchor or anchors in said hole or holes, and applying to the front surface of said tooth body an enamel which covers the said anchor or anchors, and baking said enamel on said tooth body at a temperature materially lower than the melting temperature of the material of the tooth body.

3. The herein described method of mak-" anchor holes extending from the front of the tooth body backward, inserting into said hole or holes one or more anchors extending beyond said anchor holes at both ends, applying to the front surface of said tooth body enamel which covers said anchor or anchors and in which same are embedded,

and baking said enamel on said tooth body at a ienqaomturo manor-lolly lowor @hrro thomolting temperature of tho nmtorinl oi ho tooth body.

The herein described mohod oi making artificial teeth, which comprises: form-- n tooth body provhiloil with mic or "room nnohor holosoxtonding from lho front of the tooth horly backward Cll ii' th'rou h will body and opplyi'x'ig to liho from so so of said tooth body on enamel which cor 191's tho fr-(mt enl or ends of said anchor holo or holes, onrlbolring said enamel 01 said booth body oi; a tempo 'aturo nmterioll y lowor than tho melting ten'iporoturo oi lzho maioriol of the tooth body.

5. A tooth body having a plurality o l? onohor holes oxtomliog thorothrougi'i from front lo 1' my said hohas connected, at their front ends, by a rocoss adopted, to receive the back of o staph: tho logs-s of which on: located in (111d hol s.

6. An artificial tooth cmopr ing :1, igoo ah body having one or zoom oiml'ior holos tending l'horothrou h from from io our, anchor n'mnns in said hole or holo-o :1 facing rovoring tho front of swirl tooth iml and the front oncl or ends of said :mohor moons and closing said hole or holes.

7. An artificial tooth coinp' ing a tooth body having one or more macho-r .lmioo oxtencling thorothrough from from to roar, said hole or holes enlarged at tho front oml, anchor means in said hole or holes, and :1 facing ooverii'ig the from; of said tooth body much, by addressing the iiiolnmissionor 0i latents,

Homes; of this potent may he obtains-11 for five co Would and him front ond or om'ls of said anchor moons An :u'tilivinl tooth comprising a tooth body having :1 phi 'olity of anchor holes exlouclingr moroithrough from front to roar,

.imirl holoo oozmcolorh oi, their front ends, by

lmsao moml, tho will ill/(ring comploioly cow raring; has from oi soul anchor moans.

ll). An nrtilioi Ll tooth conrorising o tooth body, a fool Hl'lll one or more mohor moons ponolroting the tooth body from front lo roar nnrli mztcmliog ini'o ho liming and i'horrhy into iorlong with tho facing.

1.5. m mrilioizrl looih oonlprisii'ig o looth horl r. a ilznaiug, and an anchor u'l" loop form, onilwzhlml in will iooi'h, and oxiourling oomgaluiily tl'iroogh tho Looixh hoi'ly from front 11o roan W n i lillrbnLb.

H. M. fihiiicm" I". F. Goon 

